Pump



Sept. 17, 1940@ R. STEVENS 2,215,138

PUMP

Filed Dec. '8, 195s 2 sheets-sheet 1 R. ST'EVENS Sept. 17, 1940.

PUMP

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 8, 1938 nventor @y eve Gttornegs PatentedSept. 17, 1940 UNITED vs'rrirrlezs ?TENT OFFEC'E 9 Claims.

This invention relates lgenerally to pumps or compressors and moreparticularly to the operating mechanism therefor.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved pump or compressor having new and improveddriving meansarranged to materially reduce friction in' the Dump- Another object ofthe invention is to provide a pump having a new and improved arrangementof the operating parts thereof. y

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in i5which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my improved pump;

Fig. 2 is an end view of a plurality of pump cylinders;

Fig. 3 is a View shown in cross section of the pump driving mechanism,taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of Fig. 1,and

Fig. 4 is a view in section of the pump taken along the line and in thedirection of the arrows 4 4 of Fig. 1. f

lReferring to the drawings by characters of reference, there is shown amultiple pump which includes a casing I0 of tubular form having a rightangle turn or bend .intermediate its ends, the casing preferably beingconstructed of two longitudinal sections which may be rigidly securedtogether by bolts and nuts II, or b-y other suitable means. In thecasing I0 adjacent each end thereof, is a multiple pumping unit, whichincludes a plurality of parallel open ended cylinders I2 of which thereare six in each unit, in the present instant. The cylinders lz areradially spaced about a central spacer-bearing memm ber I3 to which thecylinders may be rigidly secured, such as by welding, or with which thecylinders may be cast integral, if desired. 'Ihe outer ends of thecylinders I 2 and their respective spacer-bearing members I3 are flushwith each 4,5 other and tted over the outerr ends thereof is aplate-like cap member I4, Fig. 1, which may be welded or otherwisesecured to the cylinders and to the bearing members I3. The cap memberI4 is provided with a plurality of radially spaced 50 ports I5 whichregister one with each of the outer cylnder ends.

Removable end walls or -header members I6 are rigidly secured, one toeach end of the casing, in abutting relation with the outer surfaces .55of the caprhembers I4 and each of the end Walls (Cl. 10S-162) isprovided with an inlet il and a-n outlet I8. The cylinders I2 of eachunit are rotatable with and' about they longitudinal axis of theirrespective spacer-bearing members I3 in the outer end of each of whichmay be secured a shaft 2D f5 whichmay be journaled for rotation in boredrecesses 22 inthe casing end walls` I6. The shafts may be secured totheir respective spacer-bearing members I3 by a transverse pin ZI or byany other suitable means. In the inner ends of each l0 of the end walls|55 is provided a pair of arcuate slots or grooves 23, 24, whichycommunicate with the inlets Il and I3 respectively and which arearranged to register with the radially spaced ports i5 of the rotatablecylinder units, as` shown `l5 in Fig. 4.

Disposed in the casing lil is a shaft 25 having end portions 25a atright angles to each other supported in the inner ends of thespacer-bearing members I3 and the shaft 25 is provided, sub- (220stantially midway of its ends, with a bearing portion 26, arranged withits longitudinal axis. at an angle of 415 with respect to the axesofrotation of the cylinder units. In the tubular spacer members I3 areprovided, thrust bearings 21 en- 25 gaging in sockets in the ends of theshaft 25 and in bearing retainers 28. Disposed in each of the tubularspacer members I3 is a helical coil spring 3U having one end in abutmentwith the bearing retainer and the other end in abutment with F30 theinner end of the rotatable shaft 20, the spring 30, in addition toretaining the bearings 21 in their sockets, urge the cylinder' unitsoutwardly to hold the abutment plates or caps I4 in tight abuttingrelation with the inner wall surfaces of :.35 the casing end wallsk I6to prevent leakage between the abutting surfaces.

Disposed in the casing I3, a plurality of radially spaced rod-likepiston `members 32 is provided having end piston portions 25a. receivedinl40 the cylinders I2, the piston portions of each piston being atright angles to each other. The pistons 32 are formed midway of theirends with crank or bearing portions 33 which are parallel to each otherand to the shaft bearing portion 26 45 and are therefore at or acuteangles to the aids of rotation of the cylinder units. In order todecrease friction in a pump or compressor of this character, the drivingforce is` applied tol the pistons midway of their ends, the parallelpiston portions or cranks 33 being rotated about the axis ofk the shaftportion 26. With the piston portions or cranks arranged at acute anglesto the axis of rotation ofthe cylinder units it will be seen that inorder for the pistons to operate Vreciprocation thereto.

suit of slippage with the ring gear.

the piston portions or cranks 28 on rotation about the shaft portion 26must travel throughan elliptical path, see Fig. 3.

A plurality of radially disposed crank members or hollow spokes whichform in part, slip clutch members, are provided and at their inner endshave arcuate or convex bearing surfaces 36a arranged to bear against theshaft portion 26. The crank members 35 are each provided with anelongated opening 36 extending longitudinally thereof providingslideways for slidably receiving and guiding bearing members 38 in eachof which one of the piston portions 33 isjournaled for rotation. Theouter ends of the cranks 35 are recessed, as at 39, to receive in each aspring pressed ball clutch member 40, and the recessed wall of thecranks is curved and tapered for cooperation or wedging action with theballs lil which also cooperate with the inner wall surface of a drivenor rotatable ring gear 3|, which surrounds the cranks, and to which thecranks are coupled and uncoupled during operation of the pump. The ballclutch members 43 are individually urged in the direction of rotation ofthe ring gear All by helical coil springs 5a disposed in the recessedends of the crank members 35. The ring gear 4I may be driven by a wormgear 42 or by any other suitable means.

In operation of the pump, the ring gear 4I is rotated at constant speedby the worm gear 42 and in each of the pump units, two pairs of the`opposite cranks 35 are coupled to the ring gear 4I, rotating the pistonportion 33 and imparting Only two pairs of the cranks 35 are coupled tothe ring gear at any one time, the other pair of cranks being free as are- However, successive pairs of cranks are intermittently uncoupledfrom the ring gear 4I, determined by the positions of the crank portions33 as they travel through their elliptical path. With' the pistonsrotating in xed relation with and about the axes of the cylinderunitsand the piston crank portions 33 rotating through an ellipticalpath, the piston crank portions 33 which at 'the moment are closer tothe shaft 26 travel relatively slow while the other or outer pair ofpiston portions travel relatively fast. As a result, the ball clutchmembers of the inner two pairs of crank members 35 are wedged betweenthe inner surface of the ring gear 4I and the outer tapered surfaces ofthe cranks coupling the two pairs of cranks to the ring gear. The otheror outer pair of cranks increase in angular speed, adjacent the majoraxis of the elliptical path, and traveling faster than the ring gear areuncoupled therefrom. Asia result, the pairs of oppositely disposedpiston portions 33 which at the moment are traveling at relatively slowperipheral speed are automatically coupled to the driven ring gear 4I bytheir respective ball clutches 30 while the other pair of oppositepiston portions and their cranks 35 have increased angular speed and aretherefore uncoupled from the pled and two are uncoupled in each pumpingunit at all times during operation. During operation of the pump, thepiston portions 33 move toward and away from the axis of the shaftportion 23 and rotate in their slide bearing members 38 and the pistons32 are reciprocated to pump or compress fluid. Fluid is drawn in throughthe inlets Il, on the suction strokes of the piston, whence it passesthrough the arcuate passage 23 and 5 through the aligning ports I5 intosome of the cylinders l2. The fluid is` compressed by the pistons 32yafter which the compressed fluid discharges into the outlet Il when theports I5 of the rotating cylinder units'register with the ar- 10 cuateoutlet passage 24. Ihe cylinder units are constantly rotating under theaction of the piston 32 and the ports I5 are continuously align,- ingwith the inlet passage 23 and then the outlet passage 24. 15

While I have shown and described my invention in detail it is to beunderstood that the same is to be limited only by the appended claimsfor many changes may be made without departingV from the spirit andscope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A pump comprising, a cylinder arranged to rotate about an axis spacedfrom and substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis ofthecylinder, an inlet and an outlet for said cylinder, a piston for saidcylinder and havingra crank portion externally of said cylinder, saidportion being rotatableabout an axis extending atan acute angle to thelongitudinal axis of said cylinder to reciprocate said piston, saidportion rotating through an elliptical path about said second-namedaxis, constant speed drive means for rotating said portion, and clutchmeans operatively connecting and disconnecting said drive means and saidportion in accordance with varil ation of speed, said portion movingrelative to. said last-named means vtoward and away from `saidsecond-named axis in accordance with the members for said portions, saidportions being rif-13- individually movable relative to their respectivedriven members toward and away from said second-named axis, said drivenmembers being relatively radially movable in accordance with variationsin peripheral speed of said portions dur- 5.55 ing their travel throughsaid elliptical path, and slip clutch means operative to connectdifferent driven members to said drive means in accordance withperipheral speed of said portions.

3. In a pump, a plurality of radially spaced substantially parallelcylinders arranged for rotation about a common axis, a piston for eachof said cylinders, inlets and outlets for said cylinders, said pistonslhaving substantially parallel portions externally of said cylinders andar- E35 ranged to rotate about an axis extending at an acute angle tothe axis of said cylinders, said portions rotating through an ellipticalpath, constant speed drive means to rotate said portions, and meansoperatively and individually i750 connecting said portions and said'drive means and compensating for variations in peripheral speed of`said portions travelling through said elliptical path. i

4. In a pump, a plurality of vradially spaced 725 substantially parallelcylinders arranged for rotation about a common axis, inlets and outletsfor said cylinders, a piston for each of said cylinders, said pistonshaving substantially parallel portions externally of said `cylinders andarranged to rotate about an axis extending at an acute angle to the axisof said cylinders, a shaft,

vsaid portions rotating through an elliptical path v substantiallyparallel cylinders arranged for r0- tation about a common axis, inletsand outlets for said cylinders, a piston for each of said cylinders,said pistons having substantially parallel portions externally of saidcylinders and arranged to rotate about an axis extending at an acuteangle to the axis of said cylinders, said portions rotating through anelliptical path, constant speed drive means to rotate said portions,said portions being individually movable toward and away from saidsecond-named axis in accordance With travel through said ellipticalpath, and means successively coupling or uncoupling oppositely disposedportions to said drive means.

6. In a pump, a plurality of radially disposed parallel cylindersarranged to rotate about a common axis, inlets and outlets for saidcylinders, a second plurality of radially disposed parallel cylindersarranged to rotate about a common axis at right angles to said rst-namedaxis, a plurality of right angle pistons having their opposite endportions received in said cylinders, said pistons having parallelportions intermediate their ends extending at acute angles to. saidaxes, drive means includinga drum surrounding said second-named pistonportions, a shaft around Which said second-named piston portions rotatethrough an elliptical path, a plurality of hollow relatively movablespokes individually mounted on said shaft and extending radiallytherefrom toward the inner Wall surface of said drum, means operable tosuccessively couple and uncouple opposite pairs of spokes to said drum,and bearing members slidable in said hollovi7 spokes and rotatablysupporting said secondnamed piston portions.

7. A pump comprising, a pair of cylinders arranged to rotate about axesrelatively angularly disposed, a piston member having opposite endportions received respectively in said 4cylinders and having a crankportion intermediate the ends thereof, said crank portion being arrangedto rotate through an elliptical path, drive means, a clutch memberhaving a slideWay extending radially of said axes and receiving saidcrank portion, and mea-ns cooperable With said clutch member forcoupling and uncoupling said crank portion to said drive means inaccordance with variations in speed of said crank portion as it travelssaid elliptical path.

8. In a pump, a pluralty of radially spaced substantially parallelcylinders arranged for rotation about a common axis, a piston for eachof said cylinders, inlets and outlets for each of said cylinders, saidpistons having substantially parallel portions angularly disposedrelative to said axis and rotatable through an elliptical path toreciprocate the pistons and rotate said cylinders, drive means, and aplurality of pairs of oppos'itely disposed slip clutches for operativelyconnecting said portions to said drive means, said opposite pairs ofclutches consecutively clutching and unclutching respective pairs ofsaid portions to said drive means as said portions travel saidelliptical path and said portions being movable radially relative totheir respective clutch members.

9. In a pump, a plurality of radially disposed parallel cylindersarranged to rotate about a common axis, inlets and outlets for saidcylinders, a second plurality of radially disposed parallel cylindersarranged to rotate about a common axis angularly disposed to saidfirst-named axis, a plurality of piston members having their oppositeends received respectively in said rst and second-named plurality ofcylinders, said pistons intermediate their ends having substantiallyparallel crank portions, a shaft substantially parallel to said crankportions and about which said crank portions rotate through anelliptical path, a plurality of pairs of oppositely disposed radiallyextending spokes individually mounted for rotation on said shaftrelative to each other, said spokes respectively engaging said crankportions in sliding relation thereto so that said crank portions maymove toward and away from said shaft as they travel through saidelliptical path, a gear ring surrounding the outer ends of said spokes,and spring pressed clutch members carried in the outer ends ofrespective spokes and operable to clutch successively opposite spokes tosaid gear ring.

ROY STEVENS.

